Display liners for dresses or the like



Dec. 1, 1959 IF. SENTER DISPLAY LINERS FOR DRESSES OR THE LIKE Filed March 23, 1956 YINIVENTOR. Flarence Senzer BY M M 'ATTO RN EYS ed States Patent The present invention relates to liners for garments or -the like. 7 I

In the conventional display of dresses, or similar gar,-

ments, wherein the garments are suspended by a clothes hanger from a rack. or the like, the true effect of the lines and the design of the dress cannot be appreciated since the suspended garment lacks the fullness and contours that it would possess when worn or placed upon a display mannequin. In an establishment having many different styles of dresses for sale, it usually is impossible, as well as impractical, to display each of the dresses upon a display mannequin due to the space required therefor, as well as due to the expense involved in the purchase and maintenance of a multitude of different display mannequms.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a means for obtaining the desired fullness in dresses or similar garments, for the display thereof, without the necessity of using display mannequins or the like.

Another object 'is the provision of a device for obtaining the desired fullness in displayed garments, which device may be utilized in connection with a conventional garment hanger, whereby the desired fullness may be provided in the garment while it is suspended or hung by the clothes hanger.

A further object is the provision of a means to provide fullness to garments which is so inexpensive that it may be used as a give-away item and provided with each garment when it is packaged so that the garment will not be crushed while in the package and will have the desired fullness when removed from the package.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention:

Fig. l is a front view of a dress provided with a display liner pursuant to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the dress illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 illustrates a display liner pursuant to the present invention, part thereof being broken away for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 indicates a dress of conventional design and construction, here shown as a childs dress. In order to provide a desired fullness to the waist 12, the skirt 14, the bodice 16 and the sleeves 18 of the dress, so that it will have the approximate fullness as when worn by a child, or when placed upon a display mannequin, provision is made for a display liner 20 which is separate ice- 5 paper which has been treated with a suitable plastic or with rubber, either by the addition of the plastic or rubher to the pulp during the manufacture of the paper, or by the addition of the plastic or rubber as a coating on the paper during the manufacture thereof. Plastics suitable for the purpose may be, for example and not by way of limitation, vinyl, melamine resins and polyethylene.

.The paper so treated with plastic or rubber has an exceedingly high wet strength and, in addition, can be made substantially crush proof and fold proof, in normal use, to provide a spring back or resiliency which resists pressing or folding thereof. Such treatment of the paper also gives it the feel of a textile fabric.

The paper may be formed into'any suitable liner for the particular style of dress or garment with which it is to be associated. For example, as here shown, the liner 20 may be shirred or gathered at the waist 22 thereof by the stitching 24 which secures the skirt 26 to the bodice 30. The shirring or gathering at the waist 22 will result in the formation of the natural folds 28 in the skirt which will provide the latter with the desired fullness and will also provide fullness to the bodice. The gathering at the waist may be accentuated by the use of an'elastic strip 32 which is here shown sewn at the back of the waist. It will be understood that the strip 32 may be sewn at the front of the waist, rather than at the rear part thereof, or the strip 32 may extend completely about the waist, or may be omitted entirely, depending upon the style of the dress with which the liner is to be used. The liner is completed by the lines of stitching 33-33 which form seams at the sides thereof, between the arm holes 34 and the waist 22, and by the lines of stitching 3636 which form seams at the shoulders of the liner. In addition, the skirt 26 is sewn together by the vertical line of stitching or seam 42. It will be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a liner 20 of one-piece construction wherein the bodice 30 will be integral with the skirt 26, with or without the use of a rubber strip at the waist thereof.

In the use thereof, the liner 20 is inserted within the dress 10, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The dress, without the liner therein, is illustrated in broken line in Fig. 2, wherein it will be noted that the dress is collapsed and is relatively formless. However, with the liner there in, the dress is filled out throughout its entire extent. More specifically, it will be noted that both the skirt 14 and the bodice 16 of the dress are filled out as well as the sleeves 18 thereof. For suspending from a rack or the like, a clothes hanger may be readily inserted into the open neck 44 of the dress, in the usual manner, to extend through the neck 46 of the liner 20 and out the arm openings 34 thereof, into the sleeves 13 of the dress. When hung in this manner from a rack or the like, the dress will simulate the form and outline thereof as if worn upon the person or as if placed upon a display mannequin, appearing as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This will greatly increase the sales appeal of the dress and has the additional advantage that a fewer number of dresses, when provided with the liners 20, will fill out a display rack than would be the case when the dresses are hung therefrom without the liners. Moreover, when packed within a carton or box, the dress will still retain its fullness, so as to prevent the creasing thereof, and will present a very pleasing appearance when the cover of the carton or boxis removed, rather than the usual flat formless appearance, as heretofore.

it is insertable in said dress in matching relationship therewith, said liner being formed of paper treated with rubber to render said paper substantially, crushproof in the normal use thereof for shaping said dress and thereby imparting thereto a fullness substantially along the entire contour thereof, said liner having communicating top and bottom openings so as to be accessible interiorly thereof during the normal usage thereof for insertion therein and removal therefrom of means, for supporting said liner and dress.

2. Means for use in combination with a dress having a skirt portion and a bodice portion for displaying said dress when it is ofi the wearer, comprising a removable liner of dress-like form for said dress, said liner having a skirt portion and a bodice portion complementary to said similar portions of said dress so that said liner is insertable in said dress in matching relationship therewith, said liner being formed of paper treated with rubher to render said paper substantially crushproof in the normal use thereof for shaping said dress and thereby imparting thereto a fullness substantially along the entire contour thereof, said liner having communicating top and bottom openings so as to be accessible interiorly thereof during the normal usage thereof for insertion therein and removal therefrom of means for supporting said liner and dress.

3. Means for use in combination with a dress having a skirt portion and a bodice portion for displaying said dress when it is off the wearer, comprising a removable liner of dress-like form for said dress, said liner having a skirt portion and a bodice portion complementary to said similar portions of said. dress so that said liner is insertable in said dress in matching. relationship therewith, said liner skirt and bodice portion being formed of paper and being secured together by stitching which produces a gathered effect to define a waist portion and to provide natural folds in said paper skirt portion, said paper portions being treated with plastic to render said paper substantially crushproof for shaping said dress and thereby imparting thereto a fullness substantially along the entire contour thereof, said liner having communicating top and bottom openings so as to be accessible interiorly thereof during the normal usage thereof for insertion therein and removal therefrom of means for supporting said liner and dress.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,786 Battye et al Oct. 27, 1942 2,399,564 Nintetz Apr. 30, 1946 2,436,060 Trokie et al Feb. 17, 1948 2,478,107 Kahn Aug. 2, 1949 2,719,656 Cromartie Oct. 4, 1955 2,740,565 Wells Apr. 3, 1956 2,805,803 Wallis Sept. 10, 1957 

